Hello, and welcome back! We've survived the kick-off to crazy shopping season at work, though I can see where my reading and writing time is going to start taking a serious hit in the next couple weeks. Fortunately, I'm a bit ahead of the game right now, which means I have several December books waiting to be reviewed.

This time out, I have the latest from G. A. Aiken, aka Shelly Laurenston, About a Dragon(Zebra) to share with you. This is the next in her shapeshifting dragon series, which is quite a lot of fun. Witch Talaith is not having a good day. Her husband has just led an angry mob of villagers to burn her at the stake, and now she's seen a dragon. Said dragon then frightens off the villagers and rescues Talaith. Of course, his idea of rescue involves taking her away from the tiny village where her goddess has sent her. Briec the Mighty decided right away he had to have the woman, witch or not, but he hadn't counted on her sharp tongue or incessant talking as he's carrying her away to his lair. Naturally, he doesn't intend to keep her forever, just until he gets tired of her, but that notion quickly changes, as he soon can't imagine his life without his prickly witch, and he'll protect her any way he can. Talaith, however, still has to do a job for her goddess, whether she likes it or not, and that task sets her on a collision course with Briec's family and Briec himself. I am so enjoying this series, including the visit with Briec's brother and his own wife Annwyl, as well as Briec's brothers. There is so much humor here, not to mention the sizzling heat between Talaith and Briec that doesn't let up from the beginning to the end of this story. I started reading as soon as this one landed in my hands and didn't put it down until I was done with the tale. Then I was sad to have reached that end so quickly. (One of the bad things about reading so fast, sometimes.) Briec and Talaith are a well-matched pair, and the dialogue between them is crackling and hilarious. I loved this one, possibly even more than its predecessor. I'm borrowing four and a half of Cupid's five arrows for this one. It's a definite keeper.